Washing machine



T. M. ELFVING WASHING MACHINE Feb. 6, 1934.,

Filed Feb. 3. 1931 VAL VE THORE MATm ELFVING BM M @Lf At tofnys Patented Feb. 6, 1934 STATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationFebruary 3, 1931, Serial No. 513,143,

and in Sweden February 3, 1930 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for washing and similar purposes which are operated exclusively by heat, such as a gas flame or the like. The invention has particularly for its object to bring about a high cleansing ehiciency in such machines.

The invention consists substantially therein that the machine is provided with one or more condensers which bring about periodical pres- 10 sure changes whereby the washing liquid is brought to penetrate or to flow ipast the objects to be washed. The machine may preferably be divided into two separate chambers which are entirely separated from each other above the normal level of the Iwashing lliquid. but communicate with each other below said level. The condensers are then preferably disposed in the steam spaces of the chambers and adapted to bring about alternaterpressure changes in such a manner that the pressure in one chamber sometimes is higher and sometimes lower than in another chamber. Hereby the washing liquid flows 'over more or less from the one part of the machine to the other. During said reciprocating ilowing of washing liquid a good cleansing eifect is obtained by the friction of the objects to be washed against different parts of the apparatus and also by that the liquid penetrates or washes over thev objects in which latter case the objects are held in a definite position by one or more perforated screens. Said pressure changes are brought about by valves or shifting devices disposed in the apparatus and adapted, upon being shifted, to bring cooling water or cooling air alternately or intermittently to ow through or wash over the condenser or condensers.

The invention will be more closely described with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 to 3, which show different embodiments thereof.

In Fig. 1 a washing vessel 1 is provided with a lid 2 which by means of a wall 3 and a partition 4 divides the washing vessel 1 into two compartments 5 and 6 communicating exclusively at the bottom. Said compartments areY each provided with a condenser as at '7 and 8, respectively, which condensers are alternately provided by means of any conventional automatic periodically operated reversed two way valve at 9, with cooling water so that the one condenser is cooled whereas the other is shut off from the supply of cooling water and vice versa. The lid is provided with two cocks 10 and 11 whereby the different compartments may be put into communication with the free air or, by way of example, an evacuating device. Between the lid and the washing vessel a completely sealing packing 12 is disposed. The aplparatus may also be provided with one or more screens or perforated plates 13 or 14 which are adapted to hold the clothes in position.

The apparatus is heated by means of a heat source 15, by way of example consisting of a gas llame.

The machine operates in the following manner. Washing liquid consisting of water and a suitable cleansing agent is prepared in the machine whereupon the objects to be washed are inserted and the gas name lighted. To begin with, the cocks 10 and 11 are open but are then shut after the liquid has started boiling. Then cooling water is supplied to the ccndensers. During the boiling, air has escaped from the machine and for this reason a certain vacuum is created in the machine upon the supply of the cooling water. The magnitude of said vacuum is depending upon the quantity of escaped air and upon the quantity and the temperature of the cooling water. The condition for obtaining a comparatively high vacuum in the machine is, of course, that the packing 12 is completely tight. If this is not the case, for instancei the packing is missing, the limit of the obtainable degree of Vacuum corresponds to the water column separating the diierent chambers from the free air for the time being.

Initially it is assumed that the packing l2 is tightly sealing. After the supply of cooling water such vacuum may be brought about in the machine that the to-tal pressure will be, by way of example, .30 atmospheres. The generation oi steam will then be much more intense than in boiling under atmospheric pressure as the specic volume of the steam is greater under ar lower pressure than under a higher pressure. The steam developed is condensed bythe condensers whereby the pressure in the machine obtains a constant value. If, however, the condensers by the shifting valve 9 are alternately provided with cooling water so that the cooling water supply of the one condenser is shut off whereas the other condenser is supplied with cooling water and vice versa, oscillations in pres-` sure are caused in the chambers so that the pressure at a certain moment is for instance .28 atmospheres in the one chamber and .32 atmospheres in the other chamber and, in the next moment, .32 and .38 atmospheres respectively. By the pressure variations in the two chambers 5 and 6 caused by the alternate cooling of the condensers the washing liquid will alternately take up a higher o-r a lower level in the one chamber irr relation to the level in the other chamber according as the pressure in the former chamber is lower or higher than in the latter. Hereby the washing liquid will thus flow from the one chamber to the other and the apparatus will operate as a low pressure steam engine. During the continued reciprocating current of the liquidY such objects as clothes are cleansed in a very ecient manner by their friction against the different parts of the machine or by the penetration of the liquid therethrough if they are held in position by screens or the like.

Evidently said machine may operate under any mean pressure. It is thus conceivable that it may be operated at an excess of pressure and at a temperature ofY the washing liquid of more than Vone hundred degrees centigrade or at atmospheric pressure and one hundred degrees centigrade or at a low pressure and low boiling temperature. The-mechanical energy required for cleansing is obtained by the variations in pressure in diierent parts of the machine and is not depending upon the absolute value of the prevailing pressure. rlhis fact is of practical importance when it is a question about washing such objects as clothes of linen Orr-cotton in which case the apparatus preferably is operated at an excess of pressure or at atmospheric pressurewhereas; in the washing of clothes of wool or silk, the machine is operated at vacuum and a lower temperature. The evacuation is then brought about by letting the generated steam force out the air through the cocks in the lidi.Y

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of such a washing machine. Said apparatus is pivotal on two studs 16 whereby it is rendered possible to insert into or remove from the apparatus clothes or plates or the like through the lid 17 before or after respectively the washing procedure. Said-lid constitutes preferably the bottom of the apparatus during operation.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the machine suitable for washing under atmospheric pressure, i. e. at a temperature of one hundred degrees centigrade. The machine in question is thus most suitable for washing objects of for instance linen and cotton. The two chambers mentioned in connection with Fig. 1 are in this case constituted by an external vessel 18 and an internal vessel 19 of which the latter is provided with a condenser 20. The external vessel may either be entirely open in communication with the external air or provided with a lid 21. Without lid the machine can only be used in operation under atmospheric pressure whereas the machine, when provided with lid, may be operated at lower temperatures upon being evacuated. The mechanical working is in this case obtained by supplying the condenser in the internal vessel intermittently with cooling water whereby pressure variations are caused in said vessel. The washing liquid will then alternately be drawn into said vessel and then again forced down whereby a washing action is obtained. The interior vessel is preferably provided with an eX- panded portion at its bottom for the accumulation of the steam developed during the boiling. The object oi said arrangement is to increase the eiciency.

and means for intermittently condensing the' vapor formed.

2. A washing machine having, in combination, a plurality of washing chambers adapted to be partiallyfilled with washing liquid and communicating with each other belowrthe normal level of the liquid, means for closing said chambers to the atmosphere, means for heating the chambers to form vapor therein, and means for intermittently and alternately condensing the vapor formed in the diierent chambers.

3. A washing machine having, in combination, a chamber adapted to contain a liquid, meansnfor closing said chamber to the atmosphere above the level of the liquid, an expansion vessel communicating with said chamber below the level of the liquid, means for heating said chamber in order to form vapor therein, condensingrrmeans disposed in the chamber above the level of the liquid, and means for intermittently supplying said condensing means with cooling fluid.

4. A washing machine including the combination, with a container closed to the atmosphere, of means providing aplurality of chambers therein mutually communicating at the bottom, means for heating said chambers, a condenser coil disposed in one of said chambers, and means for intermittently supplying a cooling medium to said condenser coil.

5. A washing machine including the combination, with a container closed to the atmosphere, of means providing a plurality of chambers therein mutually communicating at the bottom, means for heating said chambers, a condenser coil in each of said chambers and means for .alternately and intermittently supplying said condenser coils with a cooling medium.

6. A washing machine having a plurality of washing chambers adapted to be partially filled with washing liquid and mutually inter-communicating below the normal level of the liquid, means for closing said chambers tothe atmosphere, means for heating said chambers to form vapor therein, condensing means disposed in each chamber above the level of said liquid therein, and

means to supply the diierent condensing means intermittently with cooling THORE MARTIN ELF'VING.

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